Mattel revealed its new global partnership with South Korean boy band, BTS (acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene”), at the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair.
Mattel will create collectible figures, dolls, games and more with this multi-category license with the boy band via its label, Big Hit Entertainment. Set for launch this summer, the first-ever BTS-inspired toy line will be centered on the likenesses of the band’s seven members—RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—as they appear in the YouTube record-breaking “IDOL” music video. Since its release last August, the video has racked-up more than 325 million plays, plus an additional 62 million (and counting) for a version featuring Nicki Minaj.
Within hours of the announcement, fans around the world created social trends around #BTSxMattel and #BTSDollsOfficial.